Sporting Kansas City made four selections in the 2013 Supplemental Draft on Tuesday, adding Christian Duke, Mitchell Cardenas, Brian Fekete and Mike Reidy to the team's pre-season roster. Duke is currently in camp with the club, while the remaining three selections are expected to join the team during their pre-season stay in Tucson, Ariz.

"We've selected four players that have all shown qualities and characteristics that we like and that we think that can fit into our system," Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. "Now it's up to each of them to come in and display those qualities this preseason."

Sporting Kansas City selected Duke in the first round, drafting the University of San Diego defender with the 14th overall pick. The 21-year-old is an Overland Park, Kan. native and played for the Sporting KC Academy beginning in June 2007 while attending Shawnee Mission South High School. He appeared in 60 games for the Toreros in his four-year career, earning six assists. Duke played in all 23 games as a senior in 2012, earning All-West Coast Conference Second Team honors and leading the team to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

"It's a great feeling coming into an organization that is well known for their blue-collar, hard-nosed tactics," Duke said. "Peter Vermes is a great coach and I look forward to playing for the organization. Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be playing professionally in Kansas City. Now I have my opportunity. I just have to go get it now."

Cardenas was chosen with the 33rd overall pick in the second round of the Supplemental Draft following a career as a four-time All-Conference selection at Campbell University in which he compiled 22 goals and 34 assists in 76 matches. The Mexico City native led all NCAA Division I players in assists as senior with 14 assists in 2012 and was named to the All-South Atlantic Region team by the NSCAA.

"I am beyond excited. I can't even put it into words really," Cardenas said. "I know being selected doesn't mean you earn your contract right away. Now it's about showing what you can do and hopefully, by the end of preseason if not earlier, I can earn a contract and stick with the team."

Sporting Kansas City's 52nd overall pick produced Fekete, a three-time All-American at the University of Tampa. The four-year starter recorded seven goals and 15 assists in 69 games for the Spartans and was invited to attend the 2013 MLS Player Combine last week alongside Sporting Kansas City's SuperDraft selection Mikey Lopez.

"I'm looking forward to the biggest opportunity of my life thus far," Fekete said. "I am really excited to join the team and take the next step in my soccer career."

Reidy, the reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, was a four-year contributor at Colgate University, where he broke onto the scene as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2009 with seven goals. He notched 19 goals and nine assists in 77 matches for the Raiders, including a conference best seven goals as a senior in 2012.

"It's an honor. I'm so thankful for Sporting KC for this opportunity," Reidy said. "It's a dream come true. I'm so excited to get out there and start training with the team."

Sporting Kansas City is currently in Tucson, Ariz. for the team's pre-season and will scrimmage against the New England Revolution on Friday in Casa Grande, Ariz. before playing a pair of matches in The Desert Friendlies presented by FC Tucson next week. The club will then travel to Orlando, Fla. next month to participate in the 2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic prior to the MLS season opener on March 2 at the Philadelphia Union.

Pretty big day for US Soccer. MLS has announced a partnership with the USL Pro League which will integrate with the MLS Reserve league and create more competitive games and opportunities for non first team players. Some teams have official affiliations but its not required.

SKC has announced and affiliation with Orlando City SC.

This is sort of like SKC getting a AAA club to be able to foster young talent.

Sporting fans need to brace for the possibility that Kei won't be in Kansas City next year. To add some info to this article that happened after it was published Robb on Twitter in response to people asking about the situation had this to say...

"thanks....landing. don't worry about kei. we're going to get something done that works for everybody - including u"

and

hard to say. we're working on a number of things with kei right now. we want to do what's best for both of us long term

Add Kei Kamara to the list of Sporting Kansas City players either already moved to, or having been strongly linked with a move to, English Premier clubs this offseason. Norwich City manager Chris Hughton confirmed on Thursday that official inquiries have been made pertaining to the availability and/or asking price for the Sporting KC winger.

This coming from The Guardian - the one UK newspaper known to shoot straight on the regular. Also, including a direct quote from Hughton himself was a nice high school newspaper level journalistic touch.

Former Sporting midfielder Roger Espinoza completed a free transfer to Wigan Athletic in early January, and defender Matt Besler was rumored to be considering something from multiple European clubs. Midfielder Graham Zusi underwent a week-long official trial with West Ham United prior to joining United States national team training camp last week. Kamara also trained with Premier League side Stoke City for a week in December. Neither he nor Zusi were offered contracts following their stints abroad.

That looks to change now, though, for Kamara. In a Thursday press conference, Hughton was asked whether an official offer had been made, which was reported by Sky Sports on Wednesday. If true, signing a player in the final year of their contract often comes at a discount for clubs looking to sign players on the cheap. Here's what Hughton had to say:

"Kei Kamara is a player we have made inquiries about, but any progress remains behind closed doors,"

Simple and straightforward enough. So, where would losing Kamara just a month before the 2013 season leave Sporting KC? To put it simply, in serious trouble.

Only four players - Chris Wondolowski, Alvaro Saborio and Fredy Montero - have scored nine or more goals in each of the last three MLS seasons. Kamara (10 goals, 9 and 11 beginning in 2010, respectively) is the other one. Beyond that, the entire style and philosophy of the way Sporting KC play is epitomized by Kamara and every single one of his physical abilities and talents.

He's big, strong, fast, incredibly direct in his actions going forward, and can jump out of the building. He works his butt off the win the ball back, covers every blade of grass over 90 minutes, and is completely bought into the 'team first' mantra of head coach Peter Vermes. Losing not only its leading goal-scorer for three years running, but also a player who for every two goals he scores himself he creates another with an assist, would be a crippling blow for Sporting.

Kei Kamara is, inarguably, one of the biggest game-changers MLS has to offer.

There were ready-made replacements in most all other positions of the field should Zusi or Besler have gone, even Espinoza who already has, but filling the shoes of Kei Kamara on this kind of short notice would be near impossible for Vermes. I suppose this is truly the problem with having a successful team; it's usually full of talented players. Players that could be earning more money than MLS can offer, and lots of clubs abroad willing to do so.

All of that said, I firmly believe Kamara stays with Sporting KC for the 2013 season. Vermes and Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman already did what they had to to retain Zusi and Besler; I imagine they do the same for Kamara. The interesting part, though, is the bit about 2013 being the final year of Kamara's contract. 2013-14 will be a completely different story.

Yea, it is an interesting situation. A lot of people would be beyond upset. Kei has been a universal fan favorite. Everyone loves him...he has been a huge part of the new organization. Robb has told people he was a unifying force in the locker room when he came here and has been a leader in creating an environment where the players really do get a long quite well which has translated to on the field success.

Having said that he is the most athletic player in MLS. Its not surprising EPL is calling for yet another one of our players. His only bad mark is his finishing ability.

Yea, it is an interesting situation. A lot of people would be beyond upset. Kei has been a universal fan favorite. Everyone loves him...he has been a huge part of the new organization. Robb has told people he was a unifying force in the locker room when he came here and has been a leader in creating an environment where the players really do get a long quite well which has translated to on the field success.

Having said that he is the most athletic player in MLS. Its not surprising EPL is calling for yet another one of our players. His only bad mark is his finishing ability.

Sporting Kansas City announced on Wednesday that the club has loaned forward Kei Kamara to Norwich City F.C. (English Premier League) through May 6, pending Kamara receiving authorization for a work permit. Sporting Kansas City will receive two-thirds of the substantial loan fee to use as allocation money^ per MLS rules. If Norwich City elects not to acquire the player on a full transfer by May 6, then Kamara will rejoin Sporting Kansas City, where he will be available to play immediately for the club. As part of the agreement, Kamara’s contract with MLS has been extended.

"Our club continues to get a lot of attention throughout Europe," Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. "As we do with all of our decisions, we always think about the long-term impact on our organization, as well as the short-term. Ultimately, this opportunity allows us to re-invest back into the club and solidify our core group of players.

"We understand that players are going to be sought after and that players aspire to fulfill personal and professional ambitions. We want to continue to help them achieve those goals and this helps us accomplish that objective, along with extending his contract. We have a very strong roster and this enables another player to step up."

In seven MLS seasons, Kamara has 45 goals and 21 assists in 178 appearances. He has led Sporting KC in scoring each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 11 goals and eight assists last year.

A 2012 MLS All-Star, Kamara has also been a finalist for MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year the past two seasons for his community efforts in Kansas City and his native Sierra Leone.

"It is a very bittersweet day as I am excited to achieve one of my goals, which was to play in the EPL," Kamara said. "Being such a positive person, I trust in this decision and am thankful for the opportunity to play at Norwich City through the end of their season. I am grateful for the coaching staff at Sporting KC and especially Peter (Vermes) for believing in me and helping me through this process."

Kamara is set to become the second player acquired by an English Premier League club from Sporting Kansas City during the January transfer window. Midfielder Roger Espinoza joined Wigan Athletic earlier this month after five years in Kansas City.

Sporting Kansas City, first place finishers in the Eastern Conference each of the last two years, will begin the 2013 season on March 2. Manager Peter Vermes' roster returns captain and MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Jimmy Nielsen, MLS MVP finalist Graham Zusi, MLS Defender of the Year Matt Besler and MLS Best XI selection Aurelien Collin, alongside new attacking additions that include Designated Player Claudio Bieler and U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Benny Feilhaber.

__________________Bacon-wrapped shrimp: My first-favorite food wrapped around my third-favorite food. I'd go to a banquet in honor of those Somali pirates if they served bacon-wrapped shrimp.